There's still time! I’m a painting expert and it's the best month to paint inside your home for a silky-smooth finish

If you’re planning to redecorate your walls, knowing the best time of year to paint inside your home will be useful. This is because it’ll make it easy to map out when to start painting and achieve a finish that’s silky smooth.

I’m a paint expert and I’ve painted dozens of people’s homes over the last four years. I’ve also seen the seasons come and go, and have pinpointed March as the best month to go all-in on painting a room, or even a whole house as the weather and humidity bring the best results of the entire year. Plus, I reveal my top paint tools for a professional finish.

Even if you’ve found the perfect weekend painting DIY project to elevate your home, if you don’t pick the right time to decorate, you can end up with cracked paint that you’ll have to go over again in time.

Why you should always paint inside your home in March

In my experience, March tends to be the sweet spot when it comes to painting. This is because temperature and humidity have a major impact on how well paint dries and adheres to the surfaces.

If you’re painting when it’s too hot or too cold – especially when you’re combining that with extreme humidity in some regions – you can end up with a paint job that dries poorly and ends up cracked, peeling, and needing to be redone.

It's why ventilating your home well when painting needs to strike the right balance to remove humidity, but not allow it to be too hot or cold.

Pros of painting inside your home during March

March tends to have pretty decent temperatures for painting around the country – particularly if you’re in an area where it sticks around 50-70 degrees this time of year. This allows for optimal paint drying and curing conditions. Extreme heat can cause paint to dry too quickly, while extreme cold can slow the process and affect adhesion.

It's one of the reasons wall paint can bubble.

From what I have seen, March also tends to avoid some of the signs of high humidity various regions can see later into spring and early summer.

As well as the benefits of the paint finish, painting in March means your home will be fresh and ready before peak entertaining months in spring and summer. Whether you’re hosting formal dinner parties, casual coffees in your kitchen, or outdoor dining parties, having your interior looking sharp is sure to impress your guests.

It’s a great way to do a spring refresh and alongside your spring cleaning checklist, help you start the new season with an updated look.

What to shop

Cons of painting your home in March

While March is the best time of year to paint your home due to temperature and convenience, there are a few disadvantages worth keeping in mind depending on the region you live in.

Natural light is limited in spring compared to summer, making it harder to see imperfections. This means you might need extra lighting, which can cast shadows and affect how colors appear.

If it’s too humid (especially in rainy climates such as in western regions), paint may take longer to dry, which could lead to streaks or uneven finishes.

Meanwhile, if it’s still too cold in your region – such as in northern regions – you might not want to open windows, which is important to do for proper ventilation. This means that fumes can linger inside, which can cause discomfort or health concerns. Using fans can help with this (the Dreo fan from Amazon has multiple functions and surround air circulation), but they aren’t as effective as fresh air circulation.

Cons of painting during other times of year

• Late spring: While spring flowers are beautiful for backyard ideas, pollen and dust can settle on wet paint when windows are open for ventilation. Also, regions like the northeast and southeast can experience heavy rain in spring, increasing indoor humidity and slowing drying times.
• Summer: The high temperatures that summer brings can cause paint to dry too fast, leading to visible brush strokes and uneven finishes, a wall painting mistake we like to avoid. In humid climates, excess moisture can cause issues like paint bubbling or peeling. Plus, professional painters like me are often busiest in summer, which can lead to higher prices and limited availability.
• Fall: While early fall can be good for painting, late fall can get too cold for proper drying. Less natural light also means that you may need extra lighting to ensure even coverage. Fall can bring dampness that slows drying times, depending on your region – western ones can especially be affected by this.
• Winter: This chilly season brings cold temperatures which can make paint take much longer to dry – especially if your home isn’t well-heated. If the walls are too cold, the paint might not adhere properly and could peel or crack over time. Opening windows for fresh air and daily shock ventilation to prevent mold and humidity might also not be an option in freezing temperatures.

Spring paint colors

Now you know when to start painting your home, you can start planning other aspects of this project. I also recommend learning how much paint you need to paint a room and paint tips and tricks to make a room look more expensive.